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Starkhaven
} |name = Starkhaven |icon = Ico_World_Map.png |image = Starkhaven bird eye.png |terrain = Urban |location = Northern Free Marches |inhabitants = Humans, Elves |px = 270px |type = Principality/City-State |appearances = Dragon Age II (mentioned) Dragon Age: Inquisition (mentioned) Dragon Age: Last Flight Dragon Age: Knight Errant }} Starkhaven is an independent and prominent city-state of the Free Marches that lies on the banks of the Minanter River. It's the largest city of the Free Marches and the most influential along with Kirkwall and Tantervale. Background Starkhaven is the largest city in the Free Marches and one of the wealthiest. The independent city-state of Starkhaven is ruled by the Vael family and has strong ties to the Chantry in its governance. The city has imposing walls: a curved mountain of earth crowned with concentric rings of tall gray stone. On the northern side, the Minanter River rushes through the water gate. The city itself is glimpsed from afar as a glory of marble palaces set on green hills and ringed by broad boulevards.Dragon Age: Last Flight, Chapter 8. It is a place of wealth and opulence, with many kingly estates with fountains and granite paths. Large sections of the city are decorated in fine materials like marble and gold. The royal palace in the heart of the city is made of marble, and the path to it is paved in granite. Starkhaven is also famed for its superb cuisine, with its most famous dish being fish and egg pie. It is made with three deboned fresh fish, boiled eggs, dried fruit, spices, and thickened cream, topped with a light crust. According to Sebastian Vael, Kirkwall is the city's largest trading partner. History In 1:95 Divine, the last battle of the Second Blight was fought at Starkhaven with a human army led by the Grey Wardens. Both sides suffered heavy losses, but Zazikel was slain by the Grey Warden Corin, ending the Second Blight.Codex entry: Vestments of Sacrifice In 2:15 Glory Starkhaven's King Fyruss, with backing from Tevinter allies, launched a series of military campaigns in an effort to unite the Free Marches under his banner and build his own empire. The other Marcher cities united to fight him off and Fyruss failed to conquer any of the neighboring city-states. His expansionist inspirations were not limited to the Free Marches; he also invaded some of Antiva's southernmost cities. Antiva's cities similarly united to defend themselves against Fyruss in 2:33 Glory. In 2:45, due to his failure to conquer any of the Marcher city-states and the diplomatic liability created by his invasion of Antiva, Fyruss' Tevinter allies betrayed him and ousted him from Starkhaven; the Tevinter Imperium conquered his city in result. This led the Chantry to declare an Exalted March to liberate Starkhaven from the Imperium in 2:80 Glory. The following battle for the independence of Starkhaven was short, but bloody. In 5:12 Exalted, during the Fourth Blight, Starkhaven accepted a large group of refugees from Wycome who were fleeing the Darkspawn.Dragon Age: Last Flight p.92 It is known to have had at least one Champion rise to prominence. They assisted the Grey Wardens with the evacuation of civilians from Kirkwall during the Fourth Blight and later participated in the Battle of Ayesleigh in 5:24 Exalted at which the Archdemon Andoral was slain.Dragon Age: Last Flight p.211,http://forum.bioware.com/topic/497430-dragon-age-last-flight/page-8, Interview with Liane Merciel, "This is an error...Hawke is the first Champion of Kirkwall...wrote "Champion of Kirkwall" instead of "Champion of Starkhaven"...But in either case that is a mistake and it should be Starkhaven." In 7:56 Storm, the Qunari landed near Ostwick and launched assaults against Starkhaven and Kirkwall. Starkhaven was besieged by Qunari invaders who hoped to cut off trade to the north, only to be repelled, but Kirkwall fell due to the magic of the Saarebas. Starkhaven's Circle of Magi tower was burned down in 9:31 Dragon. Sebastian Vael reclaimed his title as Prince of Starkhaven and in 9:41 led an invasion of Kirkwall. In the mission Annexing Kirkwall, Sebastian requested support from the Inquisition in helping him suppress the city's resistance forces led by Guard-Captain Aveline Vallen and hunt down Anders and his associates. The Inquisitor can choose to send Leliana's agents to bolster Sebastian's forces and strong-arm Aveline to back down or send Cullen's military to bolster Aveline's resistance forces and repel Sebastian's occupation forces back to Starkhaven. Sebastian Vael reclaimed his title as Prince of Starkhaven and in 9:41 decided to aid in the reconstruction of Kirkwall, which continued to suffer from Anders' actions. In the mission Aiding Kirkwall, Sebastian requested that the Inquisition send in soldiers and workers. The Inquisitor can choose to heed Leliana's advice and ignore the request in order to focus resources on defeating Corypheus, have Josephine appeal to noble allies to help Kirkwall, or order Cullen to send in troops to expunge red lyrium from the Gallows and further rebuild the city. }} The Inquisition arranges for an invitation to Prince Sebastian's birthday for Vaea and Ser Aaron, giving the former a secret assignment to free two of their agents, Tessa Forsythia and Marius, who were captured breaking into the castle to steal a dangerous document from Sebastian, ostensibly an ally of the Inquisition. They are accompanied on this visit by Varric Tethras, now the Viscount of Kirkwall, who assists Vaea on her secret mission. }} Governance Starkhaven is governed by a prince. Starkhaven has been ruled by the Vael family since the ousting of the self-anointed "King Ironfist," the last in a series of low-born warlords claiming sovereignty over the city. The first Prince Vael was proclaimed prince when he refused the title of king. The title is hereditary. Trivia * According to Varric, Starkhaven is "pretentious". * Most inhabitants of Starkhaven encountered so far, including Sebastian, Rylen, Belinda Darrow, and Bram Kenric, seem to share a Scottish accent. * If in Act III female Hawke rivals and flirts with Sebastian, he says "The prince of Starkhaven and the viscountess of Kirkwall? It would be the strongest alliance the Free Marches has ever seen." See also References Category:Cities Category:Free Marches Category:Dragon Age: Last Flight locations